Disclosure: This early tester received a pre-release Rotary Mouse sample unit at no cost and provided their honest, independent feedback based on real-world use.
One of the best things about working on the Rotary Mouse has been getting real feedback straight from people who actually deal with mouse-related pain every day. A little while back, we had this great chance to send a pre-production unit to a guy named Lex Schwartz, who lives in Kentucky. Lex had been posting on Reddit about his ongoing struggles with RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury), especially from all the scrolling he does for work and just everyday computer stuff. Our founder saw the post and figured why not reach out? We messaged him privately, explained the Rotary Mouse concept and asked if he’d be up for trying a free sample in exchange for his honest thoughts.
Lex got back to us pretty fast and said yeah, it looked pretty neat, and he’d love to give it a shot. We sorted out the shipping details right away. There was a tiny delay, though, because we were waiting on some upgraded parts like slicker mouse skates and a lighter battery that would make the whole thing feel even smoother. So it shipped out a bit later than we first hoped, but still made it to him before Christmas rolled around. He was super patient about it, which we really appreciated.
Once he received our mouse and tested it in his normal routine, he filled out our feedback form over at https://rotarymouse.com/feedback. He did mention that he tried a bunch of different mice over the years, such as various Anker vertical ones, contour roller mice, and trackballs, and scrolling has always been the thing that hurts the top of his wrist the most. What stood out to him about our mouse was how unique the rotary idea is in helping avoid RSI. He really liked that it’s symmetrical, so he can use it with either hand if he wants, and he said the clicks felt just right, not too firm, not too soft. The DPI sensitivity was good, too. But most importantly, he felt it was noticeably easier on his wrist compared to a regular wheel mouse. The stirring motion actually felt kind of like a gentle exercise instead of something that makes things worse.
That said, he did have one constructive note – he thought the force needed to spin the rotary wheel was a little too tight, especially for the horizontal part. It made his wrist muscles work harder than he would like. He was fine with the lines per scroll, but he just wanted the spin itself to feel a bit easier. We noted this issue and have resolved it immediately. Overall, he called it a very nice mouse and said he would definitely recommend it to anyone who’s getting pain from traditional scrolling. He also said he’d tell friends, family, or colleagues about it, which is heartening to hear.
Feedback like Lex’s is exactly why we’re doing this. Hearing from someone who has experimented with so many ergo options and still has real wrist issues makes it clear the core idea resonates. At the same time, his comment about the wheel tension gives us something concrete to tweak at. We’re already looking at ways to lighten the resistance a touch in the next batches without losing that precise feel. We’re really thankful to Lex for taking the time to test it thoroughly and share such thoughtful input.
